AUSTRIAN Elisabeth Goergl was called for an unannounced test at 10.55pm local time in Sochi, which disrupted her preparations for the women's downhill competition.

The International Olympic Committee has defended its stance (Photo: Pierre-Philippe/AFP/Getty Images)

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THE International Olympic Committee has stressed a late-night drug test on an Austrian skier at Sochi 2014, which prompted a complaint, was conducted in accordance with the established rules and standards.

The Austrian Olympic Committee made the complaint to the IOC, saying doping officials visited Elisabeth Goergl at 10.55pm local time (1855GMT) on Tuesday night for an unannounced test which interrupted her preparation for Wednesday's women's downhill competition.

Goergl, a Vancouver 2010 bronze-medallist in that discipline, finished the event, which started at 11am, in 16th place.

And asked about the matter on Thursday, IOC spokesman Mark Adams said: "It was raised with our medical experts.

"It's not for me to comment on the actual testing regime myself, but we have a zero-tolerance policy towards doping, and, as part of that, testing usually happens between 6am and 11pm.

"That particular test they are talking about was carried out within the IOC rules and in accordance with the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) standards, so I don't really have much more to say about that."

Meanwhile, the IOC has sought to make contact with Russian authorities via Sochi 2014 with regard to the case of environmental activist Yevgeny Vitishko, who was jailed on Wednesday for three years.

It has been reported that Vitishko is critical of and seeking to highlight the environmental impact of the Sochi Winter Games, and that an alleged breach of the terms of a suspended sentence given to him in 2012 for spray-painting a fence had led to it being converted into a prison term.

Adams said the IOC was seeking clarity on the matter.

"We have followed this case and raised it in the past to Sochi," he said.

"Where we think there may be a case which could relate to the Games, we raise it with Sochi, and Sochi then ask the appropriate authorities to come back to us with an explanation.

"We followed this one before and given the latest developments yesterday, we have asked Sochi for further clarification.

"But what I would say is that what I understand - and I will wait for the clarification - is that Mr Vitishko broke his parole on a matter that was not related to the Olympic Games.

"We only sent the request this morning because the case happened yesterday, but we have had previous communications about it through Sochi to the legal authorities."